Barnes on the move

“They’re both players that we needed and, just as importantly, they’re fantastic fellows off the field,’’ a delighted Wedderburn coach Danny Benaim said of Barnes and McKay.

“The timing was right for them to come back to the club and we’re very happy that they’ve made the move. It’s going to be great for the club.”

North Bendigo president Jie Thomson paid tribute to Barnes.

“Sam Barnes has been a valuable leader at our club for the past three years,’’ Thomson said.

“In that time he was a major factor in winning a senior flag and breaking a 38-year drought. Having someone like Barnesy at your club is an absolute bonus and I wish him well at his future club in season 2018.”

Wedderburn hasn’t made the finals since winning the premiership in 2014.

After finishing on the bottom of the table in 2016 they showed some good signs this year in winning four games and jumping up the ladder to sixth.

“We felt we weren’t far off, but we were probably two or three key position players off the really top teams,’’ Benaim said.

“Adding these two players helps and, hopefully, we can add a couple more and we’ll be able to compete with the top teams every week.”